Sunday, June 14, 2009

Old Town Bowie Saturday Concerts in the Park

The free 2009 Concerts in the Park series opened Saturday at the Town Green Park in "old" Bowie with a performance by Joe Tichy. Concerts are from 2:00pm to 4:00 on Saturdays throughout the summer. The complete schedule can be found on the City of Bowie Web site. Pictures from the first concert can be seen below.

Bowie also hosts a Sunday concert series from 7:00pm to 8:00 at Allen Pond Park. A schedule is on the City of Bowie Web site, but that schedule doesn't appear to be complete.

We attended a Project Natale performance at Town Green Park several years ago. My daughter was not quite two years old at the time. She picked up a stick, and she tried to imitate drummer Lou Natale. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and Lou thanked her by giving her a pair of his drumsticks. Great music. Nice people.

Noticeably absent from this year's line-up is Jericho Bridge. If you get a chance, it's worth checking out their CD, Bluegrass with a Twist. Have you ever known any bluegrass band to cover Pink Floyd, the Beatles and Tom Waits - all on the same album?

And while you're at the concert, you have to stop by Simple Pleasures for an ice cream, Italian ice or lunch. Watch for a posting on Simple Pleasures.

Joe Tichy

With several dogs present, this cat watches the show safely from behind the fence near the post office.

The plaque reads:

TOWN GREEN

This area was home to farmers and large estates until it was subdivided in 1870 as a town site called Huntington City. In 1871, the Bowie Station opened here as a junction center of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad. The rail line between Baltimore and Pope's Creek provided a market for Southern Maryland seafood and produce.

The town was incorporated in 1916 and named Bowie after Oden Bowie, a former governor of Maryland (1869-1872) who was instrumental in chartering the railroad.